Vitamin D Stops Cancer; Cuts Risk In Half

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, October 2, 2008

Vitamin D Stops Cancer; Cuts Risk In Half

American Cancer Society Drags its Feet

(OMNS, October 2, 2008) A new study of 3,299 persons has shown that

those with higher levels of vitamin D cut their risk of dying from

cancer in half. (1) Another recent study shows that ample intake of

vitamin D, about 2,000 IU per day, can cut breast cancer incidence by

half. (2) Still more research found that inadequate Vitamin D is

" associated with high incidence rates of colorectal cancer " and

specifically urges that " prompt public health action is needed to

increase intake of Vitamin D-3 to 1000 IU/day. " (3)

Vitamin D's anticancer properties are so evident, and so important,

that the Canadian Cancer Society now recommends supplementation with

1,000 IU of Vitamin D per day for all adults in winter, and year-round

for persons at risk. (4)

The American Cancer Society, however, is dragging its feet, still

maintaining that " More research is needed to define the best levels of

intake and blood levels of vitamin D for cancer risk reduction. " (5)

What is taking them so long?

Researchers in 2006 noted that " The evidence suggests that efforts to

improve vitamin D status, for example by vitamin D supplementation,

could reduce cancer incidence and mortality at low cost, with few or

no adverse effects. " (6)

If you search the US National Institutes of Health's Medline online

database for " cancer vitamin D, " you will find over five thousand

papers. . . some dating back nearly 60 years.

It's true: physician reports on vitamin D stopping cancer have been

ignored for decades. In 1951, T. Desmonts reported that vitamin D

treatment was effective against Hodgkin's disease (a cancer of the

lymphatic system). (7) That same year, 57 years ago, massive doses of

vitamin D were also observed to improve epithelioma. (8) In 1955, skin

cancer was again reported as cured with vitamin D treatment. (9) In

1963, there was a promising investigation done on vitamin D and breast

cancer. (10) Then, in 1964, vitamin D was found to be effective

against lymph nodal reticulosarcoma, a non-Hodgkin's lymphatic cancer.

(11)

The American Cancer Society has been obsessed with finding a drug cure

for cancer. Pharmaceutical researchers are not looking for a vitamin

cure. And when one is presented, as independent investigators and

physicians have continuously been doing since 1951, it is ignored.

No longer. Holick, MD, Boston University Professor of

Medicine, has come right out and said it: " We can reduce cancer risk

by 30 to 50% by increasing vitamin D. We gave mice colon cancer, and

followed them for 20 days. Tumor growth was markedly reduced simply by

having vitamin D in the diet. There was a 40% reduction in tumor size.

And, casual sun exposure actually decreases your risk of melanoma.

Everyone needs 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 each day. " (12)

What about safety? Yes, it is possible to get too much vitamin D, but

it is not easy. " One man took one million IU of vitamin D per day,

orally, for six months, " says Dr Holick. " Of course, he had the

symptoms of severe vitamin D intoxication. His treatment was hydration

(lots of water), and no more vitamin D or sunshine for a while. He's

perfectly happy and healthy. This was published in the New England

Journal of Medicine.(13) I have no experience of anyone dying from

vitamin exposure. In thirty years, I've never seen it. "

There are, of course, some reasonable cautions with its use. Persons

with hyperparathyroidism, lymphoma, lupus erythematosus, tuberculosis,

sarcoidosis, kidney disease, or those taking digitalis, calcium

channel-blockers, or thiazide diuretics, should have physician

supervision before and while taking extra vitamin D. And when

employing large doses of vitamin D, periodic testing is advisable.

But 1,000 IU per day of vitamin D is simple and safe. Some authorities

recommend much more. (14, 15) The American Cancer Society recommends

less.

What a shame.

References:

(1) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Winklhofer-Roob B et al. Low serum levels of

25-hydroxyvitamin D predict fatal cancer in patients referred to

coronary angiography. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008

May;17(5):1228-33. Epub 2008 May 7.

(2) Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB et al. Vitamin D and prevention of

breast cancer: pooled analysis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 2007.

Mar;103(3-5):708-11.

(3) Gorham ED, Garland CF, Garland FC, Grant WB, Mohr SB, Lipkin M,

Newmark HL, Giovannucci E, Wei M, Holick MF. Vitamin D and prevention

of colorectal cancer. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005

Oct;97(1-2):179-94.

(4)

http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/About%20us/Media%20centre/CW-Media%20releases/C\

W-2007/Canadian%20Cancer%20Society%20Announces%20Vitamin%20D%20Recommendation.as\

px?sc_lang=en

(5)

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_3_2X_Diet_and_Activity_Factors_Tha\

t_Affect_Risks.asp

Accessed Aug 29, 2008.

(6) Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Mohr SB,

Holick MF. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. Am J Public

Health. 2006 Feb;96(2):252-61.

(7) Desmonts T, Duclos M, Dalmau. [Favorable effect of vitamin D on

the evolution of a case of Hodgkin's disease.] Sang. 1951;22(1):74-5.

And: DESMONTS T. [Favorable action of vitamin D in leukemic

erythroderma and Hodgkin's disease.] Pathol Gen. 1951

Mar;51(326):161-4. Also: VACCARI R. [Vitamin D2 and experimental

carcinogenesis.] Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 1952 Aug-Oct;28(8-10):1567-9.

(8) Sainz de Aja Ea. [Case of an epithelioma in a patient treated with

massive doses of vitamin D.] Actas Dermosifiliogr. 1951 Nov;43(2):169-70.

(9) Linser P. [spontaneous cure of skin carcinoma by vitamin D

treatment.] Dermatol Wochenschr. 1955;132(40):1072-3. German.

(10) Gordan GS, Schachter D. Vitamin D activity of normal and

neoplastic human breast tissue. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1963

Jul;113:760-1.

(11) Desmonts T, Blin J. [Action of Vitamin D3 on the course of a

lymph nodal reticulosarcoma.] Rev Pathol Gen Physiol Clin. 1964

Mar;64:137. French.

(12) W. Saul Interviews F. Holick, MD, PhD.

http://www.doctoryourself.com/holick.html

(13) Koutkia P, Chen TC, Holick MF. Vitamin D intoxication associated

with an over-the-counter supplement. N Engl J Med. 2001 Jul

5;345(1):66-7.

(14) Vitamin D Boosts Health, Cuts Cancer Risk in Half. Orthomolecular

Medicine News Service, October 3, 2007.

http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v03n06.shtml

(15) Doctors Say, Raise the RDAs Now. Orthomolecular Medicine News

Service, October 30, 2007.

http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v03n10.shtml

For more information:

Saul AW. Vitamin D: Deficiency, diversity and dosage. J Orthomolecular

Med, 2003. Vol 18, No 3 and 4, p 194-204.

http://www.doctoryourself.com/dvitamin.htm

Online access to free archive of nutritional medicine journal papers:

http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/

A free, non-commercial vitamin D newsletter is available from

Cannell, M.D., and the Vitamin D Council: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org

Sunlight, Nutrition And Health Research Center: http://www.sunarc.org

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine

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